On the potential biological impact of radiation-induced acoustic emissions during ultra-high dose rate electron radiotherapy: a preliminary study

Lascaud, Julie und Parodi, Katia (20. February 2023): On the potential biological impact of radiation-induced acoustic emissions during ultra-high dose rate electron radiotherapy: a preliminary study. In: Physics in Medicine & Biology, Vol. 68, No. 5, 05LT01

Abstract

Ionizing radiation pulses delivered at ultra-high dose rates in emerging FLASH radiotherapy can result in high-intensity low-frequency thermoacoustic emissions that may have a biological impact. This study aims at providing insights into the thermoacoustic emissions expected during FLASH radiotherapy and their likelihood of inducing acoustic cavitation. The characteristics of acoustic waves induced by the energy deposition of a pulsed electron beam similar to previous pre-clinical FLASH radiotherapy studies and their propagation in murine head-like phantoms are investigated in-silico. The results show that the generated pressures are sufficient to produce acoustic cavitation due to resonance in the irradiated object. It suggests that thermoacoustics may, in some irradiation scenarios, contribute to the widely misunderstood FLASH effect or cause adverse effects if not taken into account at the treatment planning stage.

• Item Type: Journal article
• EU Funded Grant Agreement Number: 725539
• EU Projects: Horizon 2020 > ERC Grants > ERC Consolidator Grant > ERC Grant 725539: SIRMIO - Small Animal Ion Irradiator for Research in Molecular Image-Guided Radio-Oncology
• Form of publication: Publisher's Version
• Faculties: Physics
• Subjects: 500 Science > 530 Physics; 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• Language: English